Tampa:
No changes were reported at Tampa. Molten sulfur contracts for the third quarter were valued at $55/lt CFR, $48/lt below the second quarter’s $103/lt CFR, a 46.6% decline.
US Imports:
June sulfur imports were counted at 187,780 st, down 20.4% from 235,873 st in June 2022. July-June exports stood at 2.71 million st, falling 14.5% from the year-ago 3.17 million st. Cargoes shipping from Canada totaled 1.42 million in July-June, followed by Mexico with 276,236 st. Iraq sent 221,946 st, ahead of 197,798 st from Saudi Arabia.
US Exports:
Sulfur exports for June stood at 90,898 st, falling 37.7% from the year-ago 145,806 st. July-June exports totaled 1.97 million st, however, up 24.0% from 1.59 million st logged in the previous July-June. Brazil purchased 937,778 st of US material in the 2022-2023 fertilizer year, ahead of 478,283 st to Mexico. Morocco bought 184,808 st, followed by 166,085 st to New Caledonia.
US Gulf:
The US Gulf market remains balanced-to-firm, sources said. Prices held at $65-$70/mt FOB, unchanged from last week.
Brazil:
Price ideas moved up to $85-95/mt CFR, from $85-$90/mt CFR reported last. While there is no demand expected for August, sources anticipated the market to be active in late September and the fourth quarter.
Vancouver:
Sources noted prices firming to $80-$90/mt FOB, a $20/mt week-over-week increase, reflecting surging demand in China.
Alberta:
Alberta netback estimates firmed to (-)$60-$10/mt FOB from the week-ago (-)$60-$0/mt FOB. The price included both molten sulfur cargoes contracted into the US market and solid tons sold internationally through the Vancouver export market.
West Coast:
West Coast prills firmed to $80-$90/mt FOB, in line with Vancouver.
Molten sulfur contracts were reported at $45-$50/lt FOB for third-quarter loading, off from $98-$106/lt FOB in the prior period, a 53% decrease.
China:
Prices moved up $10/mt, to $110-$120/mt CFR. Phosphate production rates at China noted at a relatively high 65% of capacity are keeping sulfur demand high, sources said, while lingering logistics issues at Vancouver loading ports have added upward pressure to the market.
ADNOC:
Prilled sulfur produced by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC) was posted at $80/mt FOB Ruwais for August, up $12/mt from July’s $68/mt FOB posting.
Qatar:
The August Muntajat posted sulfur price was adjusted to $82/mt FOB Ras Laffan, down $4/mt from $86/mt FOB reported previously.